1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to a container equipped on a vehicle.
2. Background of the Invention
A container equipped on a vehicle and including a drawer for accommodating a small article, an accommodation case for accommodating the drawer for sliding movement and an intermediately open stopping mechanism for stopping the drawer once at an intermediate position when the drawer is pulled out to the passenger side is known (refer to, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-205966 (FIGS. 11 and 18)).
In FIG. 11 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-205966, an inner cover 157 (for reference characters, those of the document are applied) covers a head pipe from the rear and forms part of a vehicle body cover 34. A housing wall 197 is provided at an opening portion of the inner cover 157 and a drawer is provided for horizontal sliding movement on the inner side of the housing wall 197. The inner cover 157, housing wall 197 and the drawer are provided at a front portion of a vehicle.
In FIG. 18 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-205966, a holding mechanism 230 (hereinafter referred to as “intermediately open stopping mechanism 230”) for holding the drawer at an intermediate position (intermediately open position) is provided between the inner cover and the drawer.
In order to cancel the holding state at the intermediately open position, the driver would operate a pivot engaging member 235 to pivot in a direction indicated by an arrow mark in the figure to cancel the engagement of an engaging recessed portion 238 with a lock shaft 232. Once the engagement is canceled, since the drawer is biased toward the opening side, the drawer is opened to the opening side.
Incidentally, the pivot engaging member 235 is provided below the drawer. In order for the driver to move the drawer to the fully open position, the driver must reach out its hand below the drawer and operate the pivot engaging member 235. This complicates the operation. Furthermore, when the pivot engaging member 235 is operated, depending upon the physical features of the driver, stooping action is required. This further complicates the operation.
It is preferable if a technique is available by which operation for moving a drawer, which has a function of holding the drawer at an intermediately open position between the fully closed position and the fully open position, from the intermediately open position to the fully open position, can be performed readily.